Bills get hit with some brutal playoff injury news at the worst possible time ahead of Week 18 clash against the New York Jets
An unsettling injury update from head coach Sean McDermott ahead of Week 18.
The Buffalo Bills are gearing up for the highly anticipated finale at Highmark Stadium. It’ll be a fitting farewell with the return of the red helmets, though much of the pageantry of the game is lost, given that it’s a relatively meaningless game heading into the playoffs.
It’s unclear as of the time of publication whether starters will play much in the contest. Frankly, they shouldn’t. Injuries have derailed this roster, and the main goal should be getting out of Orchard Park healthy when Sunday is all said and done.
Ahead of the contest, head coach Sean McDermott provided a worrying injury update on defensive tackle Ed Oliver. It was always a long shot to get him back early for the playoffs, and now his timeline has been adjusted after suffering a setback.
Ed Oliver injury update from Sean McDermott
McDermott confirmed the news that Oliver required a minor surgery for a knee injury this week, which muddies the timeline for his return. The injury reportedly happened while Oliver was rehabbing from a torn left bicep that he suffered in late October.
The head coach didn’t have a timeline for Oliver’s recovery, saying the new injury adds another layer of uncertainty about his return. Though he didn’t rule out Oliver coming back if the team made a deep playoff run.
Buffalo Bills looking banged up heading into Week 18
It hasn’t been a great start to the week for the Bills Mafia, as the first injury report released for the week included a handful of players, including quarterback Josh Allen, who didn’t practice in any capacity. Linebacker Terrel Bernard, defensive end Joey Bosa, fullback Reggie Gilliam, safety Jordan Poyer, and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones rounded out the DNP’s.
For now, the focus in Buffalo has to remain on the bigger picture. Week 18 may serve as a ceremonial goodbye to Highmark Stadium, but the real goal lies weeks ahead. Whether Oliver can rejoin the lineup remains to be seen, but the Bills’ path forward hinges on getting healthy, not chasing style points in a finale that ultimately means little once the postseason begins.
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6 Bills players who might be playing their last game in Buffalo heading into Week 18 finale against the New York Jets
Here’s hoping that Buffalo can bring at least some of these guys back next season.
